Tea Time
by Flashing The Floods
Summary: Masako reflects on Mai's beauty and her own misgivings. Slight Masako/Mai and Naru/Masako. Implied Naru/Mai.


Masako Hara studied Mai from across the room, her eggplant tinted gray graze following the other female's every move. Mai was simply making tea, but Masako couldn't help watching. There was an oxymoron grace about Mai's awkward mannerisms that she was simply drawn too. Or rather, Mai's mannerisms were a small aspect of her that Masako was drawn to. The rest of Mai was subtly captivating as well.

People thought Masako was beautiful, she wearing her elegant traditional kimonos, with round dark eyes and creamy fair skin. She was truly a Japanese doll brought to life, her small hands delicate and her silky sable tresses framing her heart shaped face. Oh so like a doll…And just as expressionless as one. Masako never showed her feelings. Mai was the opposite, always some kind of expression (usually a cheerful one) lighting up her sepia orbs. Which was what made her all the more beautiful.

It was true. If Masako was a model, then Mai was a goddess. Her medium auburn hair didn't fall into place like Masako's always seemed to, her sepia gaze was deemed much more common than Masako's purple-gray one, and her slight boyish figure was suited to the modern clothes she wore. The clothes that didn't stand out at all in comparison to Masako's customary wardrobe. Dense people would dismiss Mai as plain, but Masako knew better.

Mai was gorgeous. Her kindness shown in her eyes and radiated from her in waves, cloaking her in a warm, inviting aura. Her optimism and friendliness were contagious enough to bring a smile to even Naru's lips on the best of occasions, and her fierce protectiveness over others could be a force to be reckoned with. Her bravery was boundless and shimmering beneath the skin, and on the harder cases Masako always took silent comfort in it and felt a bit braver herself. Mai was also bold, never afraid to speak her mind and be who she was. For that, Masako was envious.

That reason fueled Masako's jealously of Mai way more than Naru's favoring of her. Mai said what she felt she had to say whenever she felt she had to say it, and that was something Masako could never do. She was much too shy for that…So pitifully shy, despite her mask of cool indifference. "Would you like a cup, Masako?" Mai asked. Masako nodded. "Yes, that would be nice. Thank you."

"Coming right up." Mai flashed her a bubbly smile and proceeded to bounce to the cupboard on light feet, opening it and fetching the cups. That smile of hers…Another part of Mai that was so beautiful. It was so sweet and carefree. Gazing at it dusted Masako's pale cheeks with a rosy blush. Yes, Mai was beautiful and of that there was no doubt. It was no surprise that Naru had romantic feelings for her…And perhaps he was not the only one.

Masako had felt herself thinking of Mai more and more ever since that night; the night the other girl had been her savior in the labyrinth. Masako hadn't even known if she was dead or alive, and then Mai appeared. Despite the fact Masako had shown Mai nothing but disrespect, Mai had clasped Masako's hands in her own and firmly assured her that she was alive. Assured her that she was alive and that she would be saved, and placed the key in her hand to really get it through. Mai's hands had been so warm and so heartening in that frigid, scary place…

"Here's you tea." Mai approached and placed a cup and saucer on the coffee table, holding her own as she walked around it and took a seat on the couch next to the other girl. "Thank you," Masako murmured politely, picking the cup up from the table and inhaling the steam that rose from it before taking a sip. Her eyes once again slid to Mai as the hot liquid flowed over her tongue. She wished she'd been kinder to Mai. Being rescued by Mai made her realize just unfair that she had been. Even now, though she tried to act nicer, she'd never apologized for her previous behavior. And Masako wanted to apologize, she felt it was right. And perhaps if she apologized, her and Mai could start all over again.

But of course, Masako could not do that. She couldn't apologize, because that would be voicing her feelings. Voicing her feelings is just something Masako cannot do, she has her pride to bear in mind and her appearance to upkeep. Feeling a needle of dismay strike her heart, Masako looked away from Mai and continued drinking the tea, the apology in her mouth being drowned by taste of herbs.


End file.
